Ok chapter 7 coming right up!
To Equidor Renegade SeraphSquall stared at his reflection in the water. It had been two days since the ball, and already he was missing Selphie. She was the only person he had found that could make him smile. Well of course Zell did too, but he never did intentionally.
The reflection began to shiver, Squall noticed that a small bug had landed in the water and was now thrashing around in his reflection.
"I am the lord" Squall said to the bug. "How dare you land on my face!" Laughing he scooped the bug up and placed to dry on the marble statue next to him.
"Talking to yourself again Master Leonhart?" Zell asked as he walked into Squall's room carrying a tray of icing covered cakes.
"Cakes at this time in the morning?" Squall asked raising an eyebrow.
"Hey, there're good for you, eat up!"
"Zell it's 6:00am, I don't want cake!" Squall exclaimed. Zell looked shocked.
"What no cake! Oh I see still pining over the love of your life hey?" Zell said winking.
"No I am not." Squall said embarrassed, "I just miss her that's all"
"Same thing" Zell said indifferently.
"It's not, and besides I don't love her" Squall said folding his arms and looking at Zell in a 'leave it at that' way. Zell didn't get the hint and carried on.
"Well you could have fooled me!"
"Well that isn't hard to do is it?" Squall said sarcastically. Zell took a while to work out what Squall had said. Clearly he didn't understand, so Squall continued.
"Toast?" He asked
"Nope, only cake!" Zell said holding up the tray so squall could see them all. Squall looked at them as though they might explode.
"Why?"
"Cooks having another one of those cake days. That means its cakes for dinner too!" Zell exclaimed. Squall sighed; he really wasn't in the mood for a cake day. "Might I suggest we go out tonight Sir, I know a great band playing in the Limelight!"
"So?" Squall asked taking a cake and breaking the icing off.
"Selphie will be there!" Zell said winking again. Zell suddenly owned Squall's full attention.
"How do you know?" Squall asked, forgetting about his cake.
"Irvine told me" Squall looked puzzled, "Irvine, you know the bar owner" Squall nodded slowly. "So you feel like going?"
"Sure why not" Squall said, finally smiling for the first time in the morning. Zell fidgeted twisted his fingers. "My Lord maybe I ought to mention that um, it's a fancy dress night!" Squall looked at him shocked, "Hey, hey I don't run the place, it's that wacky Irvine guy, take it up with him!"
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In The Bar Later That NightSquall walked into to bar, the mass of people in costumes made the place look smaller.
"Squall, I feel like a idiot!" Zell exclaimed. Squall was temped to say 'you look like one too' but he kept it to himself.
"Come on it was your idea to come her to night!" Squall said laughing at his friend's appearance.
"Yeah, well I didn't know I was going to be a fairy!" Squall laughed as a few people whistled at Zell. Zell shot them a dirty look. "Right that's it, I'm going home!"
"Hey no one knows its you!" Squall said reassuring his friend, "And besides you look really funny!" Zell looked horrified.
"Hey Zell, nice legs!" A girl said winking and walking past them.
"See, people like it!" Squall said steering him to a table. Zell just looked at him.
"Did you here what she said? She said I had nice legs!" Zell sat there smug while Squall went to order some drinks.
"Hey Irvine, two Ciders" Squall shouted at the man flirting with the barmaid. He looked around angrily. Noisily he slammed to ciders in front of Squall. Imitating Irvine, Squall slammed two coins onto the counter. Irvine was about to tell the young man off, but stopped himself as he recognised who it was.
"Ahhhh!" He screamed. "How did you know my name?" He asked with a suspicious look on his face.
"Zell told me," Squall said backing away; he had this feeling that Irvine wasn't very stable in the mind.
"Good kid that Zell," He shouted at Squall. But he had already become out of hearing range.
Squall placed the drinks down carefully. Zell looked at it.
"What are these?" He asked.
"Cider" Squall said drinking some. Zell watched as though in any moment Squall might fall over and die.
"W..what is Cy..Der?" Zell asked looking at the swirling liquid. Squall rolled his eyes.
"Just drink it!"
"No not until I know what it is" Zell said folding arms and turning his back on Squall.
"It's a local drink, made here in Seadon" Squall said, proud of his knowledge of the drink.
"Ok" Zell said, sipping it slowly and giving the thumbs up. Either to signal that it was good, or that he had survived drinking it.
Music started from the front and people where cheering loudly. The most boisterous of these was Zell.
"Please let me present the Uni-Dons" Irvine shouted from the stage,
The candles were dimmed and the spotlight was focused on a single girl in the centre.
"My, my don't you make a hansom knight!" Someone said from behind them.
"Selphie!" Squall exclaimed.
"Ta-da! Fancy meeting you here Mr Leonhart!" Selphie said sitting down around their table.
"SELPHIE!" Zell shouted as he spotted her. Theatrically she raised her hands to her ears. "Oops sorry" he whispered, realising that might have been too loud.
Laughing Selphie ordered another round of drinks. Just as she did someone came crashing through the door. Selphie looked over.
"DADDY!" Selphie screamed and scrambled over to him jumping into his arms.
"Selphie, honey you must help me. I must find Lord Leonhart!" Selphie nodded not quite understanding.
"Good job you came to find me before him, because he's here!"
"Where? You must take me to him!" Nodding she lead him back to the table.
"My Lord" He said bowing down, "Please My Lord, I bring bad news!" Squall looked worried.
"What is it?" He asked, "Wait, lets go somewhere quiet" Selphie led them into the room she used as her dressing room.
"My Lord, I have word that Equidor is planning an attack!" Selphie gasped at the news.
"Where did you hear this?" Squall asked sceptical.
"Lady Heartilly told me herself"
Squall had no idea who this 'Heartilly' was but he was not ready to believe it.
"Why would they attack?" Squall asked.
"I can only suppose that they want more land." Squall sighed not believing what he was hearing.
"Well if this is true, then I guess it is away to Equidor for me"
"What?" Selphie and Zell asked in unison.
"Well there is no point in waiting for them, we should go to Equidor and sort this out"
"I don't think the Lord of Equidor is a very agreeing person to reason with" Selphie's father argued.
"Who said I was going to reason with him?" Squall asked venomously.
"Please Squall lets not go making any hasty mistakes" Zell said worried.
"I am going to Equidor, and maybe this Heartilly can help me" Squall said determined. "So who is coming with me?"
"I am" Selphie said without hesitation. All eyes then fell on Zell.
"Fine, but do not see what good can come of this, if you start trouble Mr Leonhart then don't come crying to me!" Zell put his hand into the middle. Squall looked at it and placed his hand on the top of Zell's. Selphie followed Zell's lead and placed her hand onto Squall's.
"If we are going to Equidor, then we go as friends and we go as equals." Squall said.
"I second that" Zell said smiling maybe this would be fun after all. Selphie just nodded and when their hands had fallen back to their sides she did a scream of joy.
"Were going on a adventure!" She shouted. Squall smiled, even though they were going to the most dangerous place in the world, she was still happy.
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"It's a three day journey of solid riding." Squall said helping Selphie onto his horse. Zell jumped onto his. "That means no stopping anywhere for long. Before we set off we must return to the palace for supplies." Zell nodded, this travelling wasn't sounding too fun.
"Wait! Lord Leonhart" Someone shouted from behind them. Squall sighed, it was Irvine. "Wait don't go yet!" running he caught up with them. "Let me go with you!"
"Why?" Squall asked.
"Because I know the way!" Irvine stated.
"So does our map" Squall said holding it up. Irvine looked desperate.
"I can tend to your horses, and I can fight"
Squall looked at him.
"Maybe we could use your help after all, climb up behind Zell"
"Thank you, thank you, you won't regret this"
"See that I don't!" Squall said smiling. Squall kicked on his horse and they rode to the palace.
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Ok Yeah I've finished for today!
Next Chapter: Rinoa gets ready for the wedding and Squall arrives in Equidor.
Thank you to my reviewers and especially those who voted. Selphie X Zell is the choice that is winning right now.
Someone, Silver Shadow, Person37, Phoenix Blade, and Rinoa-heartilly73, thank you all for reviewing.
